Vindicator
by InnovationIncarnate
Summary: Casper Yamamoto is a timid outcast shunned by every single one of his peers. Living in a world where superheroes are becoming more relevant, Casper becomes intrigued with their kind. Soon, a traumatic event in his life will inspire him to don a costume and became a superhero as well – Vindicator.


**VINDICATOR**

**Xx**

**#1 – Enter Casper Yamamoto**

**Xx**

Casper Yamamoto was a fifteen_-_year_-_old Japanese teen with dark hair and eyes, whose standard attire consisted of a crimson hoodie, a black shirt underneath, navy blue jeans and scarlet sneakers. He was a recluse who was not a popular kid at his high school – a social pariah completely disdained and rejected by every single one of his peers. He had immense difficulty socializing with others and – as a result – was forced into total seclusion. Casper envied the other kids, because of their carefree spirits and nonchalant demeanors; they were either completely oblivious to the hellish pain he endured on a daily basis, or simply didn't possess enough compassion to care. In any case, he absolutely despised their contentedness and satisfaction. Their lives were a blissful, heavenly paradise, while his was a ceaseless void of absolute, hellish despair.

He longed for at least one companion – _one_ person who comprehended his pain, envy and isolation. But regardless of how strongly he wished for one, it seemed his desire would never shape into the fabric of reality.

In class, he often worked alone, becoming nervous when the teachers ordered the students to pair up. During free time, he'd find something to occupy himself while the others talked delightedly amongst themselves about miscellaneous topics that he just so happened to overhear – such as weekend parties, celebrities, gossip, television series, videogames, etcetera.

"Hey, asswipe. Sitting by yourself again? Dude, you really need to get some friends."

"I do have friends…they're just not in this class."

"Sure they aren't – your imaginary fuckin' friends."

"Just leave me alone."

"Aw, is someone getting their feelings hurt? You goddamn pussy. Learn to take a joke. Seriously, I say one thing and you want to, like, burst into tears. You need to man up…build some backbone and take off the panties."

Perhaps Casper would have built some backbone by now if he'd had a father figure in his life to teach him the ropes of manhood. But he wasn't fortunate enough to have that luxury, like most of the teens at his school – yet another thing the others had that he envied.

**Xx**

"How was school today?" Helen Yamamoto inquired as her only son stepped into their apartment.

"Same stuff I have to put up with every day, Mom." Casper answered with an annoyed sigh.

"It's not getting better?"

"Mom, I'm getting sick of that. For someone like me, school doesn't just magically _get better._"

"It will. Just give it some time."

"Okay, fine."

"Hungry?"

"Uh, sure."

Casper grabbed a sandwich that his mother had prepared and a glass of lemonade from the fridge.

"Look. Things may be hard for you now, but I promise it'll get better. You're a good person and the world's always generous to good people."

"Funny. Most of the time, it seems the other around, like life favors bad people."

"Well, I've got to pick up your sister. See you soon." Helen said, intentionally canceling the previous conversation.

"Bye, Mom."

**Xx**

Casper used to eat lunch at his own table near the other kids, but retreated in search of his own personal spot, considering that it was difficult to focus on eating while everyone around him came by to either pity or mock him. Whichever was the case, he absolutely loathed them both with a flaming passion – the useless sympathy and the incessant provocation.

"Dude, you need to get some friends. You look like a freak, sitting here by yourself with that demonic look in your eyes." One male bully said.

"I do have friends…I'm just waiting for them; they're still in the lunch line." Casper would fib uncomfortably.

"Yeah, whatever."

"Oh, hey, Casper. How you doing? Me and my friends just saw you sitting here by yourself. You don't have any friends? Need a hug?" A female student who was sitting at one of the nearby tables inquired.

"I do have friends…they're just not here yet. And that's okay, but thanks." Casper would respond awkwardly.

"_Oh._ Okay. Well, this is getting awkward. I'm gonna leave now. Bye."

Fortunately, he managed to find temporary refuge from the others in a shadowy corner of one of the buildings – however Casper hadn't realized the spot was already occupied. Seated with her back on the wall and a thick book was a girl with dyed hair – crimson with black trim – and oceanic blue eyes, along with ear piercings, wearing a shirt embroidered by a skull with twin knives impaling it and the words _No Hope, _and a black skirt with a bloody lining pattern, as well as black boots. The girl looked up from her read and glared upon Casper's disoriented form, studying him as if she was a killing machine discerning the identity of her target.

"What the hell do you want?" The girl asked.

"Oh, uh, nothing. I was just looking for someplace to sit, that's all."

"Don't you have any friends?"

_Don't you have any friends?_ That accursed question, that everyone seemed to inquire, burdened him like hot flames smoldering his pale skin to ash and waste. Generally, Casper would have responded with an answer that circumvented the factuality of his situation, such as a _'Yes, I do, they're just not here right now'._ However, he felt it was futile to fib to the girl, especially since she seemed to be alone herself.

"No, I don't have any friends." Casper responded blunderingly, nearly biting his tongue off from discomfort. He looked at the girl in order to surmise her response to the revelation.

"_Wow._ And I thought I was the only one."

"You don't have any friends?"

"What did I just say, shithead?"

"Y_-_You said_-_"

"I know what I said, idiot."

Although surprised that he'd stumbled upon a fellow loner, Casper was indubitably relieved that he'd found someone who understood what it was like to be an outcast.

"Sorry."

"Are you seriously apologizing to me? You do that with everyone?"

"Kinda."

"Don't say sorry when there's nothing to be sorry about. It really pisses me off."

"Sorr_-_ okay. I'll just get out of your way now."

"Where are you going?"

"Uh…you don't want me hanging out with you…_do_ you?"

"Look, I'll tell you when I don't want you hanging out with me. Otherwise, stay here."

"Uh, okay."

Casper took his place and settled next to the girl with a tray of food in his hands.

"So, what's your name, kid?"

"Casper. Casper Yamamoto."

"Betty. Betty Bailey."

"So, uh…what kind of stuff do you like?"

"Comics, movies, games…shit like that."

"Wow. Me too. Do you have a favorite superhero?"

"Batman, hands down. You?"

"Well, Spider_-_Man's always been my favorite, since I was, like, three."

"How ironic. Both of our favorites are each the top heroes of Marvel and DC."

"Oh, yeah, that's true. Wow. What games do you play?"

"Assassin's Creed, Call of Duty, God of War, Final Fantasy, Mario, Sonic, Street Fighter…damn, there's so many I play."

"Maybe we can co_-_op or fight sometime."

"I'd kick your ass."

Whenever the words _kick _and _ass_ were said aloud, Casper couldn't help but think about the real life superhero Kick Ass – a living, breathing phenomenon who'd gained fame for putting on a costume and striving to make a difference in the city. Admittedly, Casper had contemplated on becoming a superhero himself out of combined feelings of boredom, anger over school drama, an acute fascination with the idea and genuine curiosity as to whether or not he was capable of pulling it off.

"Whoa. Earth to Casper. You still with me? I just said I'd slaughter you if we ever fought in a videogame. Oh, and in real life, too. Unquestionably." Betty said.

"I know, I heard you. It's just, I was thinking about something." Casper responded.

"What? Porn?"

"_No!_"

"'Course not."

"No, I'm serious! I was thinking about something else!"

"Well, I don't spot an erection, so I guess I'll have to take your word for it."

"I was thinking about Kick Ass."

Betty's face seemed completely annoyed at the mention of that name. "Oh, _him – _that motherfucker."

"You don't like him?"

"What was your first clue? I hate that sunnovabitch."

"Why?"

"Because that geek thinks he can just put on a costume and call himself a hero. He doesn't save people from getting murdered or raped, or puts out house fires. Guys like him are just in it for the fame. The fuckin' reputation that comes with being an idiot."

"Well, Kick Ass has done a lot of good. He may not be a superhero, per say, but it's nice to see someone getting up and trying to make a change. I think that it's okay that we have some positive role models besides the police."

"Positive role model my ass. The guy calls himself Kick _Ass_ and parades around with 'heroes' who kill people for god sake. That seems like the perfect message to send to the kiddies."

"Well, in my opinion, some people need to be killed. I mean, it's not like they just kill people out of the blue. Only the bad guys."

"And that makes it right? Casper, my dad's a cop. Yeah, I know, shocking. Those idiots just get in the way of the _real_ heroes, like my dad and the rest of the cops. And the sad part – some people like those hero posers more than them. I hope those guys get shot down by the mafia or something."

Casper was surprised by Betty's bleak observation of the superhero community. He actually admired some of them for their courage to stand up and make a difference – to prove that you didn't need superpowers, like enhanced strength and speed or heat vision, to save the day. But Betty despised them with a furious passion, surprisingly preferring the more dignified heroics of the authorities; ironic, provided her crude nature. From that point on, Casper didn't bring up Kick Ass's name again, not looking to upset Betty.

**Xx**

Two months passed since Casper and Betty's first confrontation and they had forged a very powerful, inseparable bond in that span of time.

They were both eating together at their own lunch table, having decided that since they'd found solace and companionship in each other, there was little need to hide from the others.

"Uh, oh man, um…"

"Ask the fucking question."

"You ever have a boyfriend before?"

"No. And yes, I know you've never had a girlfriend before. And consequently, that means I know where this conversation is heading."

"Your answer?"

"I dunno. We have a perfect friendship. Why ruin it?"

"You're right. I don't know what I was_-_"

All of a sudden, Betty grabbed Casper by the cheeks and kissed him aggressively on the lips. Casper's eyes exhibited an expression of colossal surprise, as he reeled from the passionate smooch.

"Sure, what the hell? I'll be your girlfriend."

"O_-_Okay, then. That'd be just _great._" Casper replied, still recovering from the aggressive peck.

Out of nowhere, the bell rang in order to signal that it was time for the student body to return to their classes.

"Well, I gotta go. Algebra awaits. See you soon, sexy."

"Right. S_-_See you too, cutie."

A chuckle erupted out of Betty's mouth as she walked away, as Casper realized how idiotic it was to call her _'cutie'._

_Cutie? I actually called her 'cutie'? My god, that was so fuckin' lame! You don't call your girlfriend 'cutie'. You call her…well, I don't know what else I would call her, but something more cool-sounding. Well, there'll be other times, hopefully; that is, if I don't screw everything up before then like the idiot I am. I should really get to class. People are starting to stare._ Casper thought.

**Xx**

On the television screen at Casper's home, a female reporter spoke about the current exploits of the superhero community. "The real life superhero phenomenon continues to gain rising popularity as more and more people decide to aid the cause, including the formation of a team dubbed Justice Forever. However, these current exploits put them at odds with the authorities, who have voiced their stalwart opinion that these are nothing more than nuisances endangering themselves and_-_"

"What is this world coming to?" Helen asked with a sigh, rubbing her temples. "These idiots are getting publicity for being idiots. It's ridiculous."

Casper's mother didn't have a high opinion of the costumed lot of vigilantes, sharing Betty's opinion that the so_-_called heroes were unnecessary nuisances that only wanted fame and notoriety.

"Hey, Mom. How would you feel if I was a superhero?" Lori Yamamoto, Casper's younger sister, said.

Helen sighed yet again. "As long as you're only pretending, we shouldn't have any problems. I just don't want you idolizing these idiots in costumes. All of them need to be put down."

**Xx**

In the P.E. boys' changing room, Casper was performing the combination necessary to open his locker door. But as soon as he opened it, a boy sitting nearby immediately slammed it shut. Casper turned to his left and faced the boy responsible, an awkward expression on his face; he seldom knew how to respond to confrontational situations such as these.

"Sorry. Accident." The boy fibbed.

Casper knew full well that the act was no accident, but did not want to stir up trouble over it. So, he offered an approving smile to satisfy the boy and proceeded to turn the lock in order to open the door once more. And as soon as it opened, the boy sitting nearby forcefully pushed it shut again. This earned the tormentor a choir of chuckles from the other boys. Not knowing how to respond, Casper offered up an awkward smile.

Casper futilely tried to open his locker again, but it was slammed shut another time – this time, by a hefty boy sitting on the right of him. He didn't know if the other boy was an acquaintance of the tormentor or a punk who'd decided to join in on the fun. Either way, it only served to worsen the ordeal.

"Stop smiling! You look like a fuckin' retard!" The boy screamed in Casper's face.

Casper's lips quivered in embarrassment, distress and awkward confusion.

"Okay, man. Just leave him alone. Let him open his locker already." Another boy – a burly jock – said.

"I'm just playing around with him. You know I'm just playing around with you, right?" The tormentor asked.

"Uh…_yes?_" Casper responded blunderingly.

"See?"

Casper turned to his locker and spun the lock _again,_ which the boy beside him slammed shut _again._ This cycle of senseless abuse continued long after the other boys had put on their clothes and left the room.

After a total of seventeen times, the abuse had begun to wear on Casper, who was already extremely annoyed.

"Okay, guys. This is getting old. Just stop, please. We can't stay here forever." Casper pleaded.

Casper opened his locker again, but it was promptly shut by the boy on the left. Snapping, Casper turned to the tormentor's locker and tried to close _his,_ although his efforts were in vain. The boy was too strong and managed to hold a stalwart grip on his locker. Casper pushed as hard as he possibly could, but his effort only served to send him flying into the ground.

"This guy's a fuckin' idiot. Dumbass." The boy said.

Casper gritted his teeth, seething with rage as sweat trickled down his face.

"You mad, man? C'mon, fight. I'll kick your scrawny ass!"

There they were again – the words _kick_ and _ass._ Casper contemplated on what Kick Ass would have done if provided with a similar problem. He clenched his fist and sent it flying into the tormentor's face. Unfortunately, it did nothing but enrage the boy.

"You stupid, fuckin' pussy!" The boy screamed, punching Casper square in the face.

The force of the hit sent Casper off the bench they were sitting on and into the ground. The boy quickly recovered from the hit and ran towards Casper. Casper raised his fist and gave the boy a devastating uppercut. The boy rebounded on his feet and pounced towards Casper like a panther preparing to strike down its prey. The boy grabbed Casper's side with both arms and thrust him forward, into the hard foundation of the locker doors. He feared for his life as the boy loomed forward and began repeatedly socking him square in the face.

"Hey, hey, hey, hey! Stop it, stop it, damn it!" One of the coaches yelled. "What happened?"

"He punched me in the face! I was just defending myself!" The boy said, half_-_fibbing.

"_No!_ He kept closing my locker!" Casper cried, his eye now an unrecognizable, purple blimp and blood trickling down his nose.

"That's it. Casper, go to the nurse's office. _You_ – put your damn clothes on and get your ass outside with the rest of the kids. You're doing laps until I tell you to stop." The coach said.

The tormentor glared angrily at Casper, who began to walk to the nurse's office. He felt a sense of relief and satisfaction with what had happened. And, at least he'd mustered up the courage to stand up for himself.

**Xx**

The nurse observed the black eye and fetched a bag of ice to calm the pain. Casper was holding a wet cloth to his nose to stop the bleeding. He'd called his mother and soon enough, Helen walked into the nurse's office.

"Oh_-_my_-_god, what happened?" Helen asked.

"This kid beat me up…" Casper responded weakly.

The nurse spoke to Helen about the severity of Casper's injuries. "The black eye and nose will heal up in no time. He'll be fine, though I'd recommend taking Casper home to rest."

"I'll do that. C'mon, baby, let's go…" Helen assured.

"Mom…" Casper said.

"There's some paperwork you have to fill out before Casper can leave the premises. This way, please." The nurse explained.

"Of course." Helen replied, following the nurse.

Casper looked at a television screen hung at the corner of the room. It was the Ch. 5 news and they were talking about Kick Ass and the Justice Forever team.

"The team dubbed as Justice Forever has succeeded in terminating a prostitution ring ran by its manager, Jimmy Kim…"

Casper was simply mesmerized by how it was possible for real life superheroes to even exist – to be capable of making a positive difference in this troubled world of theirs, however small. Because of superheroes like Kick Ass, Casper was brave enough to stand up for himself, even in spite of his failure to overpower the boy and earning a black eye and crooked nose.

_Real life superheroes…it's just crazy, but _awesome.

**Xx**

A/N – _Phew._ I'm finally done with the first chapter. The reason I wrote this fic was because I was interested in experimenting with the Kick Ass universe of real life superheroes, which is kind of relevant in today's world. It's also fun playing around with a character who wants to be a superhero, but can't take a bullet, lift cars or shoot laser vision out of his eyes. I think that's a huge factor in the appeal of the KA story. As evidenced by the story, the fic takes place during the events of KA 2. I did this to tie_-_in with the film and because it's interesting to set the events of the story during such a pivotal time when more superheroes are just beginning to emerge. I was originally going to name the character Casper Burton, but I changed it to Yamamoto, because I wanted an Asian protagonist. As you can see, he's not a very popular kid – the archetype of a shunned outcast. I also didn't rush into the superhero thing, as much as I wanted to. You notice that the thought's crossed his mind – being a superhero – but he hasn't really been given the push to act on that feeling. There are upcoming events that are going to inspire him to take up that position. I'm eager to make things even more complicated for him in future chapters; things are really going to hit the fan later on in the story. Thanks for reading thus far and please review; your feedback is always appreciated.


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